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Sanctuary for vulnerable Arctic species at the Borealis Mud Volcano
Abstract Borealis is a recently discovered submerged mud volcano in the Polar North Atlantic, differing from the numerous methane seepages previously identified in the region. Here we show in situ observations from a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), capturing the release of warm (11.5 °C) Neogene sediments and methane-rich fluids from a gryphon at Borealis. The surrounding seafloor within the mud volcano features extensive carbonate deposits, indicating prolonged diffuse methane migration. Sampling and imagery reveal that Borealis supports unique habitats adapted to low-oxygen conditions near methane seeps. Additionally, the irregularly shaped carbonate structures serve as a natural shelter from bottom trawling and a substratum for sessile fauna and may function as nursery grounds for threatened fish species. This discovery underscores the ecological significance of cold seep ecosystems in the Polar North Atlantic, highlighting their role in biodiversity by serving as refuges for marine species and emphasizing the need for their conservation.
Investigation of corrosion and water absorption of biomass natural coir fiber/hBN reinforced epoxy hybrid composites using different optimisation approaches
Abstract Agricultural waste or agro-waste, including natural fibers and particles from various crop parts, is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to environmental issues. However, from a circular economy perspective, these materials present an opportunity to be repurposed into new, eco-friendly products. The present study, specifically focuses on understanding the effect of different factors, such as the particulate loading and the size (coir and hBN − 1 to 5 wt%; Coir Powder size (100–200 μm) of the particles on composite’s corrosion rates and water absorption properties. These hybrid particulate composites (HPC) are fabricated using the hand layup process. The study uses a Box-Behnken Design (BBD-L15), a statistical experimental design tool that facilitates the effective investigation of many input parameters and their interactions, to comprehensively investigate these impacts. In addition, the study utilizes four metaheuristic algorithms—the Dragonfly Algorithm (DFO), the Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA), Teaching Learning Optimization (TLO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)—alongside regression equations to predict the optimal characteristics of the composite material. To determine the best-performing algorithm, a comparison is made using Deng’s method. The findings indicate that the composite with a higher weight% of hBN particulates exhibits reduced water absorption and corrosion rates. A larger Deng’s Value often indicates better performance. Based on its higher Deng’s Value, the SSO algorithm outperforms other algorithms in minimizing both corrosion resistance (CR) and water absorption (WA). The Deng’s Value for SSO reached a maximum of 0.68, while the other algorithms show comparable but lower performance.
Finding gaps in the national electric vehicle charging station coverage of the United States
Abstract The United States federal government has invested $7.5 billion into charging infrastructure, including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, to build fast charging stations along designated highways for long-distance car travel. We develop a consecutive coverage metric to compute the percent of United States roads (traffic-weighted) that are consecutively accessible within 500 miles of each county. We answer (1) what the state of consecutive coverage is in each county and (2) what the increase in coverage is when designated highways receive fast chargers. In 2023, 10% of counties had at least 75% minimum viable coverage. We find that if all designated highways receive fast-charging stations, 94% of United States counties will reach at least 75% fast charger coverage. However, the remaining counties are rural. This demonstrates that federal funding for fast chargers will help connect most—but not all—counties to the national network of continuously accessible charging stations.
American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) as wetland ecosystem carbon stock regulators
Ocean wave-driven covalent organic framework/ZnO heterostructure composites for piezocatalytic uranium extraction from seawater
An endoscopic ultrasound-based interpretable deep learning model and nomogram for distinguishing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors from pancreatic cancer
Optimal life-cycle adaptation of coastal infrastructure under climate change
Assessment model of ozone pollution based on SHAP-IPSO-CNN and its application
Author Correction: Reprogramming the tumor immune microenvironment using engineered dual-drug loaded Salmonella
Distributed communication interference resource scheduling using the master-slave parallel scheduling genetic algorithm
Mechanism of stable lithium plating and stripping in a metal-interlayer-inserted anode-less solid-state lithium metal battery
Deep learning based decision-making and outcome prediction for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients with posterior surgery
MCT1 lactate transporter blockade re-invigorates anti-tumor immunity through metabolic rewiring of dendritic cells in melanoma
Effect of individual spinal muscle activities on upright posture using a human body finite element model
High-density lipoprotein nanoparticles spontaneously target to damaged renal tubules and alleviate renal fibrosis by remodeling the fibrotic niches
The PI4K2A gene positively regulates lipid synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells and attenuates the inhibitory effect of t10,c12-CLA on lipid synthesis
Short-term evolutionary implications of an introgressed size-determining supergene in a vulnerable population
Relationship between neutropenia caused by nanoliposomal irinotecan/fluorouracil/leucovorin and treatment outcomes in the NAPOLEON-2 study (NN-2301)
Abstract The relationship between nanoliposomal irinotecan/fluorouracil/leucovorin (NFF) treatment outcomes and neutropenia in patients with pancreatic cancer has not been thoroughly examined. Thus, we conducted a retrospective analysis of data from patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated with NFF to investigate this relationship. Neutropenia was assessed according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events across three cutoffs: A (grade 0 versus grade 1–4), B (grades 0–1 versus 2–4), and C (grades 0–2 versus 3–4). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were overall response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and relative dose intensity. Of the 161 patients, 93, 8, 22, 30, and 8 patients had neutropenia of grades 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The overall response rates differed significantly at cutoff C (p = 0.02), with the odds ratio for cutoff C being the highest, followed by cutoffs B and A. Significant differences in OS were observed at cutoffs A (hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44–0.94; p = 0.02) and B (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43–0.92, p = 0.02). Similarly, PFS showed significant differences at cutoffs A and B (p < 0.01). NFF-induced neutropenia can be a useful prognostic factor for patients with pancreatic cancer.